2018 Carpet Installation Cost Guide

At the end of the day, money talks, right? One of the biggest questions anybody has before making a big purchase is “What does it cost?” With carpet, it’s no different. That’s why we put together this handy guide for understanding carpet cost and carpet installation cost. We’ve got your back.

Let’s look at the top three questions about carpet installation:

What does carpet installation cost for a whole house?

How much does carpeting cost for one room?

How much does replacing carpet cost?

What do all three questions have in common?

They’re all about cost. Ding ding ding.

Obviously, cost is going to be one of the most important factors when buying carpet. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, or replacing old carpet, you're in the right place - we crunched the numbers to find you the best deal.

How Much Does it Cost to Install Carpet?

Okay, these are the numbers you want. I’m estimating the cost of carpet based on 1000 square feet. Later, we’ll add the installation cost so you’ll have a rough budget estimate. Keep in mind, this doesn’t factor in carpet removal, baseboards or any other fees or additional items.

Carpet Cost by Brand:

Brand Name

Average Cost by Sqft

Low

Average

High

Foss

$1.69

$1695.00

$1695.00

$1695.00

Joy Carpets

$2.98

$2150.00

$2980.00

$4100.00

Mohawk

$2.02

$920.00

$2020.00

$3360.00

Phenix

$2.53

$930.00

$2530.00

$4130.00

Shaw

$3.73

$2040.00

$3730.00

$7380.00

Beaulieu

$1.71

$890.00

$1710.00

$2540.00

Carpet Cost by Style:

Style Type

Average Cost by Sqft

Low

Average

High

Berber

$3.30

$890.00

$3300.00

$7380.00

Pattern

$3.60

$1490.00

$3600.00

$7210.00

Texture

$2.57

$930.00

$2570.00

$4300.00

Twist

$2.02

$920.00

$2020.00

$3360.00

Carpet Cost by Fiber:

Fiber Type

Average Cost by Sqft

Low

Average

High

Polyester

$2.01

$890.00

$2010.00

$3400.00

Nylon

$3.73

$1750.00

$3730.00

$7380.00

Polypropylene

$2.94

$2040.00

$2940.00

$5170.00

Olefin

$1.70

$1570.00

$1700.00

$2220.00

Total Average Carpet Installation Cost:

The national average of labor costs for carpet installation is between $1 - $3 per square foot. With my math magics, I got your total estimate!

Carpet Installation Cost of Specialty Carpet:

Now sometimes, you’re not looking for a standard carpet. Besides, carpet has more than one great use. Because we have all types of carpet, including some specialty carpet, let’s break down the cost of these cool carpets by 1000 square feet. Then, since you know your labor costs above, feel free to add it in to get a total estimate.

Specialty Carpet

Average Cost by Sqft

Low

Average

High

Home Theater

$3.78

$2150.00

$3780.00

$6980.00

Outdoor Carpet

$2.55

$970.00

$2550.00

$5170.00

Waterproof Carpet

$6.81

$6250.00

$6810.00

$7380.00

Carpet Tiles

$3.97

$970.00

$3970.00

$6970.00

What Affects Carpeting Cost?

There are several factors that go into pricing carpet. Some brands cater to more commercial uses and others offer residential carpet. The type of fiber can also dramatically change the price of carpet. Not only that, but the style of carpet also determines carpet cost. Let’s have a more in-depth look at these factors.

Carpet Brands

The brand of carpet you buy can have a big effect on what the cost of your carpet is. For example, Stainmaster or Air.o branded carpet has properties included that make it more durable than other types of carpet. The same is true for carpets that are branded as LifeGuard or LifeProof.

Even more broadly, Mohawk and Shaw have more residential-type carpets with higher quality fibers and piles. These brands might run more expensive than a more commercial brand.
Be sure you pick the brand that fits your needs.

Carpet Fibers

When it comes to carpet fibers, there’s not a huge cost difference between them. If you take a look at our Carpet Buying Guide, you’ll see that most carpet fibers have similar costs.

Wool fibers are considered luxury, and you probably won’t find wool carpet easily. It’s considered one of the most expensive carpet fibers.

On the opposite end, Olefin is used in a lot of commercial carpets and is considered one of the least expensive fibers.

In between those two, we have other synthetic carpet fibers like Nylon and Polyester types. These have similar price comparisons, so you won’t find a wide range of prices between them. Plus, they’re also the two most common fibers for residential flooring.

Carpet Construction

Once again, I’m going to plug our Carpet Buying Guide as an in-depth look at styles of carpet, but I’ll also give you a quick recap about the style of carpets you can buy.

As you might know, there are several styles of carpet. There’s cut, cut and loop, and loop (berber) style carpet.

Each style can be varied in cost. A thick, higher density cut carpet will be more expensive than a berber carpet. Since berber carpet is how carpet originally begins in a factory, it tends to be the least expensive style of carpet.

Overall though, the plusher and thicker the carpet, the more expensive it will be.

Carpet removal: If you’re replacing older carpet, remember to factor in the cost of removal. Depending on who is doing the install, the size of the room or house, the cost could range between $100 - $300.

FAQs:

Does my carpet need an underlay?A) For a soft, durable carpet, an underlay is basically required. Underlayments increase the longevity of your carpet and also make it comfortable to walk on.

Can I install carpet myself?A) The answer is... it depends. If you are installing carpet tile, then you can absolutely install it yourself. However, unless you are experienced in installing broadloom, we suggest you leave it to the professionals. Broadloom carpet is installed using various methods and special tools like knee kickers and power stretchers.

Should I buy carpet tiles or broadloom carpet?A) It depends on your budget. Carpet tile is great because you save money on installation and you can easily replace a tile if one becomes damaged. Broadloom is less expensive per square foot, but you’ll probably need to hire someone to install it.

Conclusion

Hopefully, these charts give you a good idea of what to budget for when purchasing carpet to install. Carpet installation doesn't have to be expensive or scary if you've got all the information at reach. Be sure to calculate your carpet installation cost! Ready to get started? Shop carpet rolls today.